1 Optimal isolation and characterisation of chondroitin sulfate from 2 Rabbit fish (Chimaera monstrosa) 3 4 José Antonio Vázqueza, Javier Fraguasa,b, Ramon Novoa-Carballalc,d, Rui L. 5 Reisc,d,e, Ricardo I. Pérez-Martínb & Jesus Valcarcela* 6 7 aGrupo de Reciclado y Valorización de Materiales Residuales (REVAL), Instituto 8 de Investigacións Mariñas (IIM-CSIC). Eduardo Cabello, 6. Vigo-36208, Galicia– 9 Spain. 10 11 bGrupo de Bioquímica de Alimentos, Instituto de Investigacións Mariñas (IIM- 12 CSIC). Eduardo Cabello, 6, Vigo-36208, Galicia–Spain. 13 14 c3B´s Research Group – Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University 15 of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue 16 Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, 17 Portugal. 18 19 dICVS/3B’s - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal. 20 21 eThe Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Headquarters 22 at University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal 23 24 25 *corresponding author:
[email protected] 26 Tel: +34 986231930; fax: +34 986292762 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 1 36 Abstract 37 Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a glycosaminoglycan widely explored for cartilage 38 regeneration. Its bioactivity is influenced by sulfation degree and pattern, and 39 distinct sulfation in marine CS may open new therapeutic possibilities. In this 40 context, we studied for the first time the isolation and characterisation of CS from 41 Rabbit Fish (Chimaera monstrosa). We propose an efficient process starting with 42 enzymatic hydrolysis, followed by chemical treatments and ending in membrane 43 purification. All steps were optimised by response surface methodology.